ABC Sports, ESPN to use RACE/fx

March 17, 2006

ABC Sports is teaming up with Sportvision to offer a new tracking technology that allows racing viewers to get closer to the action.

The RACEf/x technology uses an on-board global positioning system (GPS) to track every car and capture all telemetry and positioning including speed, acceleration and deceleration, time behind the leader, exact car position and RPMs. The system will incorporate several data elements including "G-force," which will indicate the force exerted on the driver. It also features the "pointer," a graphic that identifies the cars and tracks them as they race at speeds in excess of 220 miles per hour. This feature is currently used in Fox Sports' coverage of NASCAR.

ABC Sports will use RACE/fx in its coverage of the Toyota Indy 300 from Homestead-Miami Speedway in late March. It will be used for all coverage of the IndyCar series including races on ESPN.

Rich Feinberg, Senior Coordinating Producer for ESPN and ABC Sports said that fans will be able to better identify the drivers and the same information that the drivers and their crews have.

"We will welcome the addition of Sportvision to the telecast in 2006 so that viewers will have a constant visual connection to the racing action and the drivers they root for and against," said Brian Barnhart, president and chief operating officer, Indy Racing League.

Viewers can also customize their interactive experience by tracking real-time data of any car competing in the race when following the race live on ESPN.com beginning with the Indianapolis 500.